Jackson helps lead Soul to ArenaBowl championship

NEW ORLEANS — Chris Jackson, a former Orange Coast College standout, captured his first Arena Football League championship in his nine-year career when he helped the Philadelphia Soul beat San Jose, 59-56, in ArenaBowl XXII Sunday at New Orleans Arena.

Jackson, the AFL’s Offensive Player of the Year and regarded by many as the greatest receiver in the league, had 11 catches for 146 yards and three touchdowns, leading the Soul (16-3) to its first title in its five-year history.

For his career, Jackson is second all-time in touchdowns (321) and receiving yards (14,939), and tied for second with 1,002 receptions.

This year, his first in Philadelphia, he caught 140 passes for 1,719 yards and a career-high 49 touchdowns during the regular season. The 33-year-old Jackson has claimed the Offensive Player of the Year award twice, winning it in 2003 and was named Rookie of the Year in 2000 with the Los Angeles Avengers.

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Washington State product has caught a touchdown pass in all but two games of his career. He signed with Philadelphia as a free agent this season, helping the Soul score a league-high 992 points.

— From staff reports